The Internet of Things (IoT) is the network of physical objects with built-in sensors or software. With more than 7 billion connected IoT devices today, experts are expecting this number to grow to 22 billion by 2025 according to Oracle. In this article you will find an explanation for IoT, its (dis)advantages but also learn about KNX IoTech – the future of IoT.
IoT – Internet of Things
To put it briefly, IoT is connecting objects — kitchen appliances, cars, heart monitors, thermostats, baby monitors, etc.— to the internet via embedded devices. These objects range from ordinary household objects to sophisticated industrial tools. People can interact with the objects – set them up or access the data, but all those objects can share and collect data without human intervention.
How it works?
An IoT consists of web-enabled smart devices known as things. A thing in the IoT can be any object that can be assigned an IP address but also is able to transfer data over a network. These IoT devices share the data collected with sensors by connecting to an IoT gateway.
The protocols used with internet-enabled devices depend on the specific IoT application. Communication protocols include CoAP, DTLS, MQTT, DDS and AMQP. Wireless protocols include IPv6, LPWAN, Zigbee, Bluetooth Low Energy, Z-Wave, RFID and NFC. In addition, cellular, satellite, Wi-Fi and Ethernet can also be used.
Source: TechTarget
ADVANTAGES
IoT provides access to information from anywhere at any time on any device. Furthermore, transferring data over a connected network saves time and money while automating tasks reduces the need for human intervention and improves quality.
DISADVANTAGES
One of the biggest IoT disadvantages are possible hacker attacks which are more probable with the rise of the number of connected devices. Also, it can be challenging for enterprises to collect and manage the data from all those devices. Finally, a bug in the system can cause breakdown of every connected device.
Source: TechTarget
KNX IoTech – the future of IoT
Many disadvantages have been solved by KNX technology experts. KNX IoT/IP is truly interoperable IoT technology. Data security is based on powerful data and IP encrypted communication among all devices and applications. By virtue of KNXs endless flexibility, devices from different manufacturers can easily communicate with each other. All new KNX products validated with the KNX IoTech will meet all necessary features to integrate any products into a smart home or a smart building. Read more here or watch online presentation.